Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) won the opening day at the Exergy US Gran Prix of Cyclocross's Derby City Cup in dramatic fashion as he passed series leader Ryan Trebon (LTS-Felt) 500 metres from the finish line and held him off down the finishing straight.

The duo had been locked in a fiercely contested battle for supremacy for the duration of the Exergy USGP's fifth round located at Eva Bandman Park, the venue for the 2013 cyclo-cross world championships in Louisville, Kentucky. For much of the race it was Trebon who appeared to have Powers on the ropes, as the LTS-Felt rider unleashed powerful attacks on the up-and-down terrain only to have Powers dig deep and regain contact.

Powers led Trebon on to the finishing straight and Trebon seemed ready to pounce in the closing 200 metres, but he was waylaid by a dropped chain and was never able to challenge Powers for the victory.

"It would have been a good sprint, but that's racing," Powers told Cyclingnews. "I've had my problems, he's had his, and that's how it goes. I'm still really happy with today and I think I rode a good race, I think he did too. We've both proven that we're the strongest guys this year. It's just Ryan and I beating the crap out of each other.

"Riding with Ryan, it's always hard. I may have a little turbo-charge here or there in certain sections but he's the diesel all day. Today was just me biding time and watching for where I could get maybe one or two seconds."

Trebon had taken the lead from Powers late in the final lap with a powerful surge on the Selle Italia run-up, but Powers was confident he still had a trick up his sleeve.

"I pre-rode with him and he went really good up that and I knew he was going to go there," said Powers. "After that there's almost no where to go except for one turn where he was going outside and I was going inside. I'd seen him mess it up a few times and I knew that would be my moment. It wasn't pretty on the last lap but I made a pass on the inside and I did the best that I could, I did the only move that I could at that point."

The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Trebon, who despite being passed in the approach to the finishing straight still felt he had what it took to overtake Powers for the victory.

"I felt really good,." said Trebon. "I was extremely happy with the way my legs were feeling, I was happy with the way the bike was handling, and the race went really well until the last 500 metres. Jeremy came inside and I thought 'this isn't too bad, I'll just sit on his wheel and wait for the sprint'.

"I was following him and coming around that last little 180 Jeremy was out front by about five feet and I thought 'this is the perfect position'. I was going for it, trying to go through the gears too fast and I lost my chain. It happens and it's my fault trying to shift down to the 11 from the 23.

"Today's going to stick with me for a little while, it's going to take a little while to let it go. I'm not disappointed, but just kind of bummed. When you have good legs and you ride the bike well you want to capitalize on those days."

Tim Johnson (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com) finished in third place, 27 seconds behind Powers and Trebon, for his best result this season in a USGP event.

"I had a rough start, a little too far back in the traffic for the first few laps," said Johnson. "Once I got away from the chase group I was just trying to do the fastest laps that I could and hope that they would be in trouble up front but it just didn't end up being that way. Getting third feels good, but I definitely want more tomorrow."

Johnson was part of a six-man chase group, comprised of Daniel Summerhill (Chipotle Development Team), Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), Chris Jones (Rapha-Focus), Troy Wells (Clif Bar) and Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), but attacked them on the fourth of seven laps in solo pursuit of the front duo.

The chase group further splintered with Kabush finishing alone in fourth, 46 seconds back, while Summerhill oukicked Driscoll for fifth nine seconds later. Wells edged Jones for seventh 1:03 off the pace.

Belgian blast off

Belgium's Ben Berden (Ops Ale-Stoemper) launched like a rocket off the start grid and took the hole shot from the 60-strong elite men's field as they turned left onto the grass from pavement. Berden, the recent winner of the Victory Circle Graphix Boulder Cup, quickly forced a four-man early selection on the first lap in which he was joined by Trebon plus Rapha-Focus teammates Jeremy Powers and Chris Jones.

The lead quartet held firm at the head of affairs into the third lap over a strong chase group comprised of US 'cross champion Todd Wells (Specialized), Danny Summerhill (Chipotle Development Team), Geoff Kabush (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), Tim Johnson and Jamey Driscoll (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), Barry Wicks (Kona) and Troy Wells (Clif Bar).

On the third lap, however, things came unglued for two of the leading quartet as Berden flatted and Jones crashed. Berden's flat occurred very far from the pits and the Belgian would pull the plug in disgust with his misfortune, while Jones would recover and slot in with the chasing group. In the meantime, the chase was coming tantalizingly close to making contact with the leaders under the impetus of Todd Wells, but he, too, flatted on the third lap and the chase's gap to the leaders began to grow.

As Trebon and Powers began to extend their lead, Johnson attacked the chasing group on the fourth of seven laps. He crossed the finish line with three laps to go 15 seconds behind the two leaders while Summerhill led the chase across the finish line seconds later.

Johnson closed to within 10 seconds of Powers and Trebon, but would not get any closer. In the meantime, Kabush had escaped from the chasing group and was riding solo in fourth place.

At the end of the penultimate lap, Trebon and Powers led Johnson by 16 seconds, Kabush by 28 seconds and the remainder of the chase group by 47 seconds.

Trebon seemed to have made the winning move late in the last lap with a powerful surge up a steep incline, but Powers fought back and played his winning hand within the final 500 metres. A missed shift cost Trebon a chance at victory and he crossed the finish line clearly frustrated, but the ever consistent LTS-Felt rider remains in the overall series lead with his fifth straight USGP podium appearance this season.